With so many VR shooters turning out to be simple shooting galleries, Farpoint VR is a short but refreshing title that makes for a really fun VR experience. Available exclusively for the PlaystationVR, Farpoint is a first person shooter set on an alien planet. Your mission is to save two scientists who have been stranded, and while the story is not the best, it’s strong enough to keep the game going.
You can play the game using the PS4’s Dualshock controllers or with the new Playstation VR Aim Controller. The Aim controller handles surprisingly well, and is shaped somewhat like a gun with just the frame and most of the body missing. It still does the job well, and the tracking feels accurate and fast. If you wish to play without the Aim Controller, the PS4 controllers work perfectly fine, and aiming and shooting with it starts to feel natural in just a few minutes.
Much of what contributes to good gameplay is the clever design of the game itself. Enemies rarely ever attack from behind, though they can be all over the place up front. This way you hardly ever need to turn around completely, avoiding any motion sickness or tracking issues. Bringing up the controller to eye level and shooting actually feels pretty rad, with excellent weapon sounds and feedback. You can opt between using the analog stick for camera controls or use the ‘smooth look’ option. Both work well depending on your preference. There isn’t a huge arsenal of weapons, but the ones available pack a decent punch and are suitable for the game’s short length.
The story isn’t all that great, but some of the real-time cutscenes are fun to see unfold. At about 5 hours, there’s enough content here to justify the price. And Farpoint is easily among the best VR games I’ve played, and maybe the only one I wanted to play more than once. There are some minor UI and menu design issues, but nothing that detracts from the overall experience. With the added two-player online co-op and the arcade mode, Farpoint is among the best and most robust VR games available right now.
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